Dog attacks hurt farming family

Ashleigh Tullis13 Oct 2016, 5:07 p.m.

An Orangeville family is sick of the dog attacks on their lambs.

Dismayed: Eric Rudd and daughter-in-law Mary Rudd are calling on their neighbours to be more responsible and keep their dogs secured at night after a spate of attacks on their lambs. Picture: Chris Lane

North ward councillors doorknocked Orangeville properties on Sunday urging locals to keep pet dogs locked up at night following a spate of attacks on lambs.

In the past month, Orangeville farmer Eric Rudd, 92, has lost more than 40 lambs in four separate attacks after domestic dogs ran his livestock to exhaustion.

“Most neighbours were aware of the attacks on the Rudd farm and of their requirements to keep their dogs inside,” Cr Gould said.

“Several neighbours expressed concerns about their own stock or pets.”

Mr Rudd and his daughter-in-law Mary Rudd have called on their neighbours to keep their dogs secured at night after attacks occurred on September 1, 22 and 29 and last Saturday night.

“On the night of the last attack, a dog got into our small paddock where the previously injured lambs were kept, and killed or injured these lambs again,” Mrs Rudd said.

“How can these owners ignore this? The council has sent out letters to every person in our vicinity warning of the consequences of allowing their dogs to roam away from their property but obviously, owners don't care.”

Video footage of the attacks has shown dogs with collars on the farm.

Mrs Rudd said she had been pushed to her limits and was a loss as to what to do next.

“I have done a letter box drop to more than 80 houses within a two kilometre radius of the farm,” Mrs Rudd said.

Mr Rudd would have sold the lambs next year and is now $4000 out of pocket, not including vet bills, feed and medication.

Greater Sydney Local Land Services officers went out to property to inspect the injured lambs, look at the paddocks and fencing, tracks and camera footage after the attacks.

Senior biosecurity officer Lee Parker said the attacks were concerning and officers had set up caged dog traps but those had yielded no results. He said the community needed to work together to stop the attacks.